Report of suspicious powder at high school a false alarm

The Newark High School music building was locked down and 15 students had to take showers by fire hose yesterday after a suspicious package was delivered to a school band room.

Officials said an envelope with no return address was delivered to band director Rossi DiBenedetto just before 1:30 p.m. After DiBenedetto opened the package he began to complain of itching, and then so did the secretary who carried the envelope.

The school's principal and resource officer were called, and by the time the fire department was on the scene the hazardous materials unit was dispatched on a report that a white powder in the envelope had caused the symptoms.

There never was any powder, said Jeff Walker, director of the Licking County Emergency Management Agency. He said the envelope contained a photocopied page out of a text book about the history of the First World War.

DiBenedetto became suspicious of the package because the lack of return address and called the principal. Walker said the itching was likely caused by nerves and the situation was an unfortunate case of a story getting bigger in the retelling.

Still, 15 students and eight adults who were in the building at the time were quarantined while emergency officials swarmed the scene. Men in Mylar suits and air masks went into the building and eventually everyone inside endured cold decontamination showers in makeshift stalls made of tarps strung between fire engines.

Despite everything, Walker said fire officials made the right call.

"The fire department did what they're supposed to do," Walker said. "With all those letters sent to banks and all that foolishness, they couldn't afford not to take every precaution."

No one knows why the package was mailed or where it came from, but Walker said all the students went home safely and no one was in any danger. The package and its contents have been sealed and taken by U.S. Postal Service investigators.